Wig theft alarm



Jan. 30, 1968 c. K. COCHRAN 3,366,944

WIG THEFT ALARM Filed June 28, 1965 I6 I FIG. 3

V NTOR. l CHARLES K. COCHRAN FIG. 4 BY WWW/5% ATTORNEY United States Patent F 3,366,944 WIG THEFT ALARIVI Charles K. Cochran, Rte. 1, Box 165, Cornelius, Oreg. 97113 Filed June 28, 1965, Ser. No. 467,366 6 Claims. (Cl. 340-280) This invention relates to a wig theft alarm.

In view of the demand now prevalent for ladies wigs or hair pieces, it is customary for shops to display a plurality of such wigs for selection by the customer. Such wigs customarily are removably fitted on mannequins, and since they are readily removable a great loss is in curred through shoplifting. A primary objective of the present invention therefore is to provide an alarm system associated with a mannequin-mounted wig which is capable of alerting the shop owner when a wig is being wrongfully removed from a mannequin.

A more particular object is to provide a wig theft alarm employing electric circuit means which includes a switch arranged to be mounted between the wig and the head of the mannequin and arranged to energize an alarm in the circuit when the wig is wrongfully removed.

Another object is to provide a wig theft alarm employing an electric circuit in which is included a switch of novel construction capable of energizing the alarm as above mentioned.

Briefly stated, the invention comprises an electric circuit in which is incorporated a novel normally closed switch which is arranged to be mounted on the head of a mannequin and held in open position by a wig fitted on the said head. The electric circuit includes an alarm controlled in its operation by the switch and arranged to be sounded when the wig is wrongfully removed from the head of the mannequin. The invention will be better understood and additional objects will become apparent from the following specification and claims, considered together with the accompanying drawings, wherein the numerals of reference indicate like parts.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a mannequin showing the present wig theft alarm in place, the wig for the mannequin being shown in phantom lines;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the energizing switch for the alarm mechanism;

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a wiring diagram of the wig theft alarm electrical system.

Referring in particular to the drawings and first to FIGURES 1 and 2 it is customary to mount one or more mannequin heads on a support 12 such as a display case or table and to place wigs 14 on the heads 10 for selection by the customers. The wigs 14 comprise inner liners 16, FIGURE 3, to which are secured the hair portions 18 of the wigs. The wigs are arranged to be removably fitted on the heads of the mannequins.

The present invention employs a novel switch 20 and an electric circuit which is adapted to alert the shop keeper when a wig is removed from a mannequin without authority. The switch 20 comprises a body portion 22 of electrically insulating material which is annular in shape and which has a pair of poles 24 and 26 of electrically conducting material secured thereto. Poles 24 and 26 may simply comprise bolts, and these bolts secure to the 'body portion interiorly thereof a pair of electrically conducting switch arms 28 and 30, respectively. As best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, the switch arms project diametrically toward each other and overlap slightly to provide contact therebetween. Arm 28 is substantially rigid, and arm 30 is resilient and arranged normally to engage switch arm 28.

3,366,944 Patented Jan. 30, 1968 Switch 20 is arranged such that the switch arm 30 will be disengaged from the arm 28 when the switch housing is seated on the head of a mannequin and is held in surface engagement with the surface of said head by the wig 14. For this purpose, the switch arm 30 has a substantially horizontal portion 32, a downward projection 34 formed by bending a portion of the arm downwardly and then reversely bending it upwardly, an upward extension 36 projecting above the horizontal portion 32, and a second horizontal portion 38 on the arm 30 which terminates in a downwardly turned end portion 40. The terminal end of horizontal portion 38 overlaps a portion of the switch arm 28 whereby the downturned end 40 is arranged to engage the switch arm 28 and form a contact between the switch arms. The downturned portion 34 of the arm 30 normally projects below the bottom surface of the body portion of the switch, and the switch arm 30 has sufiicient spring power such that it is capable of lifting or tilting the switch body 20 off the head of the mannequin to allow the downturned end portion 40 thereof to engage switch arm 28. The switch 20 is thus capable of being seated on the head of the mannequin with the arm 30 being held away from arm 28 by the pressure of a wig fitted on the head. However, when the wig is removed or loosened from the head, the switch arm 30 lifts or tilts the switch 20 sufficiently to allow the switch arm 36 to contact switch arm 28.

The switch 20 is in an alarm circuit the electrical diagram of which is shown in FIGURE 4. Such circuit comprises a source of potential 42 such as a battery connected in a series circuit with an alarm bell 44 and an on-off switch 46. Such series circuit includes a lead wire 48 connected between the battery and the alarm bell, a lead wire 50 connected between the alarm bell 44 and switch 46, and

a pair of wires 52 and 54 leading from the battery 42 and switch 46, respectively. Connected in parallel to the wires 52 and 54, as by means of suitable common lead wires 56 and 58 and by lead wires 60 and 62, are electrical female plug-in sockets 64.

A switch 20 for mounting on the mannequin is adapted to be plugged into one of the sockets 64 of the crcuit just described, and for this purpose the switch is associated with a conventional male-type plug 66, FIGURE 2, connected suitably to the switch by lead wires 68 attached to the poles 24 and 26. The male plug 66 is arranged to be engaged with any one of the female plug-in sockets 64, and thereby it is apparent that the circuit described can accommodate any number of switches 26, depending upon the number of female plug-in sockets 64 provided.

It is preferred to enclose the battery 42, alarm 44, and female plug-in sockets 64 in a box or housing '72 which may be mounted in any suitable place such as inside the display case 12, FIGURE 1. Such a circuit assembly can thus accommodate a number of the switches 2G associated with mannequins supported on the display case.

In the operation of the present alarm system, the switch 46 will ordinarily be turned to its off position and the switches 20 installed on the mannequins and held in open position by the downward pressure applied by the fitted wig. The switches 2t) are held in place on the mannequins by a strip of pressure sensitive tape 74 attached to the mannequins across the wires 68. With the switch 46 in its off position, the clerk is free to install and remove the wigs 14 as necessary without sounding the alarm. However, if the clerk desires to leave the room temporarily, or it is desired to utilize the present system as a night alarm, the switch 46 is turned to its on position, whereupon the alarm will be sounded upon whole or partial removal of the wig from the mannequins.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape,

size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A wig theft alarm arranged to be sounded upon the removal of a wig from a mannequin comprising an electric circuit, alarm means in said circuit, a switch in said circuit arranged to be mounted between the mannequin and a wig thereon, means on said switch movable between open circuit and closed circuit positions, said movable switch means being arranged to be held in its open circuit position when said switch is seated on a mannequin and held down by a wig on the mannequin and arranged for movement to its closed circuit position when the wig is released from the mannequin.

2. A wig theft alarm arranged to be sounded upon the removal of a wig from a mannequin comprising an electric circuit, alarm means in said circuit, a switch in said circuit arranged to be mounted between the mannequin and the wig thereon, and a pair of switch arms on said switch, one of said switch arms being movable and being urged to a normally closed position in engagement with said other switch arm, said movable switch arm being arranged to be held in an open circuit position away from said other switch arm when said switch is seated on a mannequin and held down by a wig on the mannequin and arranged for movement to a normally closed switch position in engagement with said other arm when the Wig is released from the mannequin.

3. The wig theft alarm of claim 2 wherein said movable switch arm has a portion thereof normally projecting beyond one side of said switch whereby to be engageable with the mannequin and caused to move away from said other arm in its open circuit position.

4. The wig theft alarm of claim 2 wherein said movable switch arm is constructed of a spring material and has a portion thereof normally projecting beyond one side of said switch whereby to be engageable with the mannequin and caused to move away from said other arm in its open circuit position.

5. The wig theft alarm of claim 2 wherein said switch comprises a fiat body member having a hollow interior which opens through the bottom of said body member and said switch arms are mounted interiorly of said body member, said movable switch arm having a portion projecting through the bottom opening of said body member whereby to be engageable with the mannequin and caused to move away from said other arm in its open circuit position.

6. A wig theft alarm in combination with a wig and a mannequin upon which the wig is arranged to be fitted, comprising an electric circuit, alarm means in said circuit, a switch in said circuit arranged to be mounted between said mannequin and said wig, means on said switch movable between open circuit and closed circuit positions, said movable switch means being arranged to be held in its open circuit position when said switch is seated on said mannequin and held down by said wig on the mannequin and arranged for movement to its closed circuit position when the wig is released from the mannequin.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 514,584 2/1894 Ahlers.

548,887 10/1895 Murphy. 1,229,473 6/ 1917 Keenan 200- 1,765,223 6/1930 Ferris ZOO-85 1,854,019 4/1932 Chase. 1,891,752 12/1932 Coyne 20085 X 2,249,645 7/ 1941 Applegarth 200-85 THOMAS B. HABECKER, Acting Primary Examiner.

D. L. TRAFTON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A WIG THEFT ALARM ARRANGED TO BE SOUNDED UPON THE REMOVAL OF A WIG FROM A MANNEQUIN COMPRISING AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT, ALARM MEANS IN SAID CIRCUIT, A SWITCH IN SAID CIRCUIT ARRANGED TO BE MOUNTED BETWEEN THE MANNEQUIN AND A WIG THEREON, MEANS ON SAID SWITCH MOVABLE BETWEEN OPEN CIRCUIT AND CLOSED CIRCUIT POSITIONS, SAID MOVABLE SWITCH MEANS BEING ARRANGED TO BE HELD IN ITS OPEN CIRCUIT POSITION WHEN SAID SWITCH IS SEATED ON A MANNEQUIN AND HELD DOWN BY A WIG ON THE MANNEQUIN AND ARRANGED FOR MOVEMENT TO ITS CLOSED CIRCUIT POSITION WHEN THE WIG IS RELEASED FROM THE MANNEQUIN. 